- 2001 Inductee, Nebraska Football Hall of Fame
- Thirteen-Year NFL Veteran (Buffalo, San Diego, Oakland and St. Louis)
- Second-Round Draft Pick, 1993 NFL Draft (Buffalo)
- 1992 Second-Team All-American (College & Pro Football Newsweekly)
- 1992 First-Team All-Big Eight (AP and Coaches)
- 1991 Honorable-Mention All-Big Eight
1992 (Senior)
Parrella closed his career at NU with an all-conference season that saw him finish second on the team with 77 tackles (29 solo), second on the team with 11.5 tackles for loss and second on the team with five sacks. Parrella, who led the team with 23 quarterback hurries, started all 11 games of the regular season at left tackle in the Huskers' final season playing the 5-2 defense as its base defensive scheme. Parrella notched a career-high 12 tackles against Iowa State and had eight tackles in three other games, including a matchup with defending national champion Washington. Parrella had 4.5 tackles for loss against No. 8 Colorado, the most tackles for loss by a Husker in a game in 1992.
1991 (Junior)
Parrella had four of his five best career tackle days to that point in his career in the final four games of the regular season, including nine in the 19-14 win over Oklahoma on Nov. 29 that clinched Nebraska a trip to the Orange Bowl. He also had three hurries on Oklahoma's last possession after the Huskers had taken the lead late in the game. In the Orange Bowl against Miami, Parrella had a then-career-high 11 tackles with a fumble caused. Parrella finished as Nebraska's seventh-leading tackler with 56 and was third on the squad in tackles for loss with 8.5 and tied for third in sacks with 4.5. He was named honorable mention All-Big Eight by both the Associated Press and the conference coaches.
1990 (Sophomore)
Parrella played in eight regular-season games, plus the Citrus Bowl vs. Georgia Tech, and finished the year with four assisted tackles.
1989 (Redshirt Freshman)
Redshirted as he made the switch from tight end to defensive tackle.
1988 (Freshman)
After Colorado signed him to a letter-of-intent and then withdrew the scholarship offer, Parrella came to Nebraska as a walk-on. He started at tight end for the 5-0 Husker junior varsity and caught two passes for 14 yards and one TD.
At Grand Island Central Catholic HS
Parrella was a two-time all-state selection as well as an honorable-mention All-American as a senior for Coach Carl Tesmer. He was also an honorable-mention all-state basketball player.
Personal
The son of Joe and Shirley Parrella, John was born Nov. 22, 1969. He returned to Nebraska following his professional career to earn his bachelor's degree in child, youth and family studies in December of 2012.
Parrella's Career Stats
|
. |
. |
Tackles |
. |
. |
Fum. |
. |
. |
. |
QB |
Int. |
||
|
Year |
G |
UT |
AT |
TT |
TFL |
Sacks |
C-R |
BK |
PBU |
PI |
Hry. |
Csd. |
|
1990 |
8 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1991 |
10 |
19 |
37 |
56 |
8.5-39.5 |
4.5-29.5 |
0-0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
17 |
1 |
|
1992 |
11 |
29 |
48 |
77 |
11.5-59 |
5-41 |
1-2 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
23 |
3 |
|
Totals |
29 |
48 |
89 |
137 |
20-98.5 |
9.5-60.5 |
1-2 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
40 |
4 |